Recruiter/Industrial Relations Specialist Job Opening Here in PSE -- Come Help Take Us to the Next Level

Paper Science & Engineering is seeking an energetic, motivated professional to help us in several ways:

• Reach out to high school students in-state and out-of-state and get them excited about our program and our industry
• Interact with alumni throughout the industry and encourage them to actively participate in and donate to the PSE program
• Work with companies in the industry to assess their needs and to communicate the capabilities and strengths of the PSE program

This could be a unique and wonderful job for the right person, as well as a chance to make an amazing contribution to the success of the PSE program. I can tell you -- working every day around students like ours makes you feel great!

If you know of an alumnus (or a person bonded to our industry) who would be a good candidate for this position, please direct them to the job posting at the web site shown below. You can also e-mail me at med_byrd@ncsu.edu to get additional information or to recommend someone. Note: the opening may close soon, so move fast!

https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/5329

Sorry...It's Been Too Long Since the Last Post

I am sorry that it has been more than a year since I last updated this blog. It has been a very hectic year for us at NC State and in PSE -- budget cuts, staff reductions, and other factors have made time for publicity activities hard to find. But, as you can see from posts below, the program continues to do very well -- and the good news is that our growing numbers have also made time hard to find. I won't let it be so long next time!

Students Need Summer Jobs -- Please Help Us

With a large sophomore class, the need for summer internships this year is greater than ever. In addition, we have a handful of juniors that MUST have a summer job this summer in order to graduate next year. Many of these candidates have been victims of the economic downturn, which reduced internship opportunities for two years (but, oddly enough, not semester co-op positions).

There is no doubt that co-ops offer more value to companies. But is is important to understand that summer internships are still the easiest way for students to "break into" the industry and are cxtremely important to use here in PSE. I urge to you to help convince your company to maintain both summer internships and semester co-ops -- it's good for us all!

If you have an unfilled summer internship position for 2012, please contact me immediately at med_byrd@ncsu.edu. I can get you a highly qualified student to fill that slot!

2012-2013 Scholarships Awarded

The Foundation Scholarship Committee has sorted through 87 scholarship applications and has extended offers to 57 applicants, with an expected yield of 27 new incoming freshmen for Fall 2012. The breakdown of offers is as follows:

37 in-state applicants (65 %)
9 out-of-state applicants (16 %) -- the Paper Super Scholars finalists
11 on-campus applicants(19 %)

Six of nine Paper Super Scholars finalists accepted the invitation to come to the NC State campus and participate in the finalists interview process on March 23-24. As a result of that process, the following offers were made:

1 "full ride" award
3 awards for $5000/year
2 awards for $3000/year

The Super Scholars selection process continues to attract out-of-state students of amazing caliber to PSE and to help us achieve our goal of 20 % out-of-state students.

The PSE Program is BOOMING!!!!

New PSE Freshman for Fall 2011

Graduating Seniors December 2011 and May 2012

Even in the middle of some pretty challenging budget times on the NC State campus, I am pleased to report that the PSE program is absolutely BOOMING. Here are some facts:

1. The total enrollment for the program is about 132, which includes 12 students from other curricula waiting to transfer into PSE.

2. The incoming freshman class for the Fall 2011 started out with 32 students, an amazing and diverse bunch. Now, in my freshman-level introductory course, we have 52 students. Since about six of those are PSE upperclassmen who are taking the course late, the net result is that we have expanded our ranks by about 12-14 new students! (I asked some of the Chemical Engineering students who enrolled why there were doing so, and the unified response was "Because we heard you could get a job with this degree")

3. We will graduate 13 bright-eyed young professionals in May and another 12 in December.

4. Permanent job offers are through the roof...the record number of offers was 12!

As as group, the current freshmen class is probably one of the most talented I have seen during my tenure here. Not just book smart -- they are savvy, funny, and really turned on for paper. Six of them -- freshmen, mind you! -- have landed summer jobs in the industry.

Show Your Support -- Come to the Pulp and Paper Foundation Annual Meeting Sept 29 - Oct 2

Friends and alumni of the Paper Science & Engineering Program at NC State are being asked to show their support for the program by attending the upcoming annual meeting of the Pulp & Paper Foundation. This event, scheduled for September 29-October 2, will be a return to the classic annual meetings of years past -- with lots of student interactions, recognition of scholarship recipients and donors, information and updates about the programs and the industry....and lots and lots of fellowship and FUN!

Med Byrd, Director of Undergraduate Programs, has issued a special invitation to all alums: "We all know that the US paper schools, in addition to the industry, have recently faced some very difficult times. But we need for everyone to know that NC State continues to be strong -- enrollments are up, job placements continue to be high, and interest in the industry is on the rise. We need ALL of you to show us your support by coming out and being with us at this amazing event! Let's have a record-breaking attendance at this year's meeting and show everyone that this is an educational program that will play a pivotal role in the industry's success for many years to come. Ask your boss for time off....ask your boss to come....ask your company to participate in the Industry Day event -- come join us!"

This year's meeting has plenty of opportunities to meet PSE students and catch up with old friends and classmates. Here is a summary of the scheduled events:

Wednesday, September 29
5 - 7 pm -- "Industry Day" career fair

Thursday, September 30
7:30 am - 4:00 pm -- Golf Tournament, Lonnie Poole golf course
5:30 pm - 6:15 pm -- Cocktail Reception6:15 pm - 9:00 pm -- Scholarship and Recognition Banquet

Friday, October 1
7:30 am - 8:30 am -- Board Meeting
8:45 am - 9:30 am -- Committee Meetings
9:45 am - 11:30 am -- General Meeting
11:30 am - 1:00 pm -- Lunch
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm -- Keynote Speaker: Tommy Joseph, IP
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm -- Mill Manager's RoundTable

Saturday, October 2Foundation Tailgate Party
NC State vs. Virginia Tech football game

Meeting information can be obtained by going to http://www. or by contacting the following:

Gus Cottros (gus_cottros@ncsu.edu)
Ernie Alexander (ernie_alexander@ncsu.edu)

Full event information and on-line registration is available at the link below (on-line registration is in the process of begin activated...should happen soon):
http://cnr.ncsu.edu/ppf/annual_meeting.htm

Senior David Froggatt is coordinating this year's
Foundation Golf Tournament.

"Industry Day" to be Held on September 29

In association with the upcoming annual meeting of the Pulp and Paper Foundation, a new "Industry Day" event will be held on campus on Wednesday, September 29, from 5 - 7 pm. The location is the Witherspoon Student Center, just down the street from the PSE building. A large auditorium will be equipped with booths and tables to accommodate a number of companies. A light dinner will be served.

Companies with a booth at this event will have unique face-to-face time with students interested in jobs in the paper and allied industries. Not only will Paper Science & Engineering students be at this event, but they will joined by students seeking degrees in Chemical, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering.

The cost for the event is $250 for Foundation members and $1000 for non-members. Interested companies should contact (soon!) Gus Cottros (gus_cottros@ncsu.edu) or Ernie Alexander (ernie_alexander@ncsu.edu).

Vigorous Recruiting Season Anticipated

Nine students will graduate with a PSE degree or PSE/CHE dual degrees in December, and another 17 will graduate in May 2011. Industry recruiting of these graduates, along with candidates for summer internships and semester co-ops, is expected to be vigorous this fall.

Pat Hill, our Student Services Assistant, reports that six companies have signed up already to participate in this year's Industry Day event (see post above) associated with the Pulp & Paper Foundation meeting. In addition, 11 other companies have signed up for on-campus recruiting.

Pat encourages all companies to schedule on-campus recruiting events as soon as possible. You can reach her at pat_hill@ncsu.edu or at 919-515-2888.

Welcome Kate McIntyre -- Our New Recruiter

The Department of Forest Biomaterials is happy to welcome on board Katherine (Kate) McIntyre as the new student recruiter for both the Paper Science & Engineering and Wood Products programs in the Department of Forest Biomaterials.

Kate comes to us from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she served as Assistant Director of Admissions. A native New Englander, Kate attended Bentley University. She has extensive experience in recruiting students to focused science/engineering programs like PSE. She was selected from a pool of 123 applicants for the position.

Please help us make her feel at home here at NC State!

New Student Enrollment Strong

Twenty-seven new freshmen entered NC State as Paper Science & Engineering students this fall, more than double the figure for 2009. It is hoped that 5-10 more transfer students will be added to this group in the next year, for a net sophomore class of 32-37.

Last year's freshman class, which started out at 12 in Fall 2009, has increased to an amazing 37!

Part of the reason for this growth can no doubt be attributed to the Foundation scholarships, which are particularly attractive to prospective students and parents during a tough economic time. However, it seems that the larger part of the growth is because the "PSE message" resonates well with students across the campus -- a message about faculty engagement, hands-on learning, high summer internship placements, high permanent job placement rates, and high starting salaries.

NC State is committed to providing the pulp and paper industry with highly-qualified entry-level engineers that will ensure the success of the industry for many years to come.

New PSE freshmen engaged in the traditional
"giant handsheet competition"

Help Send Students to Brazil for PIE 2011

The Paper International Experience (see post below) has sent two cohorts of PSE students to China (2007) and Chile (2009). These have been incredible learning experiences for the students. For the next trip in May 2011, we want to send a large group to tour pulp and paper mills in Brazil.

We need your help in obtaining funding that will cover 2/3 of the student costs. If you are interested in helping, or if your company would like to be an official sponsor, please contact med_byrd@ncsu.edu.

Paper International Experience 2009 Report Finally Ready!

Every two years, the Paper International Experience (PIE) program sends a group of juniors and seniors in Paper Science & Engineering to another country abroad. The goals are A) to immerse them in a different culture and broaden their global awareness; and B) to let them see how the paper industry works in a different country. It is hoped that such an experience will help the students understand the global nature of the industry and help the industry become more competitive.

In 2009, the PIE trip took 11 students to Chile. Normally, a formal report is prepared and printed after the trip is complete. Given the very tight budget year, it was not possible to do this for 2009. However, two of the student participants (Dane Grismer and Nick King) did prepare a wonderful pdf report, which has been stuck in "e-limbo" for some time now. But we are pleased to report that it is ready. By clicking on the link below, you can access this amazing student-written account of the trip to Chile (it's a large, high-resolution file...so it will take about 1 minute to download).

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~medbyrd/PIEChileReport.pdf

Important Foundation Meeting Planned for Fall 2010 -- Save the Date! Your Attendance Needed!

Fall 2010 will see a return to the "classic" style of Annual Meeting for the Pulp & Paper Foundation. We are asking all alumni and friends of the PSE program to hold the dates of September 29 - October 2 open -- and to plan to attend and show your support for us!

The tentative schedule is as follows:

• Wednesday, September 29: Mini Career Fair / Student Recruiting Event (for member companies)
• Thursday, September 30: Foundation Golf Tournament (Lonnie Poole Course); Foundation Cocktail Reception and Banquet
• Friday, October 1: Pulp and Paper Foundation Meeting (including business meetings and full technical program); Embassy Suites, Cary
• Saturday, October 2: NC State vs. Virginia football game / Foundation Tailgate Party

Details about the technical program and the full schedule will be coming soon. Please join us in this traditional (and critical) event!

Summer Internships STILL Needed!

Although the end of the semester is here, there are still a number of PSE undergraduates who are seeking internships in the paper and allied industries. It's not too late to get a great PSE student for your company! Contact Dr. Med Byrd at med_byrd@ncsu.edu .

Nine Students Graduating This Month

Nine new engineering professionals will enter the industry this month, as they receive their B.S. degrees in Paper Science & Engineering on May 15. Seven of these students will also receive B.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering.

Seven of the nine have accepted job offers in the paper, allied or other industries. One is still fielding offers. One will attend graduate school at NC State.

With the five students who graduated in December 2009, the PSE program graduated a total of 14 students for the 2009-2010 academic year. This figure is a bit lower than normal, due to a high number of students that were delayed by going on co-op (next year's class is expected to be pretty large). The overall placement rate for the combined group was 85 %.